What is the offspring of mice called? - briefly
The young of a mouse are called pups, and newborn individuals are commonly referred to as pinkies.
What is the offspring of mice called? - in detail
The young of a mouse are referred to as pups. Newborn pups are born hairless, blind, and without teeth; they are often called pinkies because their skin appears pink through the thin epidermis. The term “pup” applies from birth until the animals reach the weaning stage, typically around three weeks of age.
During the nursing period, pups grow rapidly, develop fur, open their eyes, and begin to explore the nest. After weaning, they are called juveniles until sexual maturity, which occurs at approximately six to eight weeks. At that point, they are simply termed adult mice.
In laboratory settings, researchers use specific nomenclature to track breeding cycles. A breeding pair produces a litter, each individual being a pup. Litter size varies from three to twelve, with an average of six to eight. The sex of each pup is identified as male or female, and their weight is recorded daily to monitor development.
Scientific literature sometimes employs the generic term “offspring” when discussing genetic or physiological studies, but the precise label for a mouse’s early life stage remains pup. The term is consistent across common house mice (Mus musculus) and related species such as the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus).